The Global CEO Summit, claimed as a prestigious event for the global exhibitions industry which was held recently in Munich, saw an increasing number of exhibition organizers and associations pledging their support for the first Global Exhibitions Day, an initiative launched to promote and highlight the industry’s achievements.

This was the third Global CEO Summit to be jointly organized by UFI and tfconnect, which was attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah, who witnessed the participation of more than 125 top executives of major exhibition centers and organizing companies from across the world.

A highlight during the summit was the announcement of Global Exhibitions Day, which received tremendous support and appreciation.

An initiative by Paris-based UFI and Dallas-based International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Global Exhibitions Day will be observed on June 8 this year across the globe.

“The main aim is to promote the value of exhibiting for companies, the role of exhibitions for the development of trade and internationalization, as well as their role in driving innovation and competitiveness of companies,” says Midfa who is also chairman of the UFI Middle East-Africa chapter.

The Global Exhibitions Day aims to unite all the major national and regional initiatives under one common umbrella, to strengthen the message and multiply their reach. At the same time, it is also considered to be a celebration of all the people working together in the exhibitions industry.

An exclusive preview of the results of the UFI global exhibition barometer was also presented at the summit. The survey, conducted in December and presented at the summit by UFI MD Kai Hattendorf, outlines the overall trends in turnover and operating profits worldwide, and highlights key issues facing exhibition businesses today.

The survey evaluated data from 240 companies in 58 countries.